[lucasmascotto]

GO station construction crew fills sewer with concrete
The Hamilton Spectator
By: Molly Hayes

The city is investigating a construction mishap at the site of Hamilton's future GO station after loads of concrete were accidentally poured into a municipal sewer.

"We know we've got a problem," Dan McKinnon, Hamilton's director of water and wastewater, said Friday.

A contract crew from Loc Pave Construction Limited has been working at the site just east of the MacNab Street North bridge where Metrolinx is building a two-storey GO station. It will also include a platform that extends under Bay Street North.

McKinnon said crews were filling caissons with concrete Tuesday when they noticed "one … took more concrete than they were expecting."

Now, a sewer in that location is holding water — which means it's blocked.

City workers were on site Friday afternoon running cameras through to probe the inside of the sewer pipe, McKinnon said.

Metrolinx spokesperson Vanessa Thomas said Friday afternoon the crew appears to have drilled into the trunk sewer.

"We are still investigating the cause to ensure it doesn't happen again," Thomas said. "We apologize for the inconvenience and are working with the city … to remedy the situation as quickly as possible."

McKinnon doesn't anticipate the blockage will affect any residents in the area: The sewage travelling through that sewer backs up into a tank under Bayfront Park.

Asked if it will be as expensive to fix as it sounds, McKinnon said: "I think you'd probably be right."

Thomas said the city will not be responsible for paying the costs associated with resolving the issue.